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STAR TREK icon GEORGE TAKEI has attacked Marvel Studios bosses for casting TILDA SWINTON as The Ancient One in their new adaptation of the DOCTOR STRANGE comic book. Executives have defended their …

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STAR TREK icon GEORGE TAKEI has attacked Marvel Studios bosses for casting TILDA SWINTON as The Ancient One in their new adaptation of the DOCTOR STRANGE comic book.

Executives have defended their decision to ask the Brit to take on the character, who was Tibetan in the graphic novels, explaining they cast her so as not to upset Chinese authorities and film fans, due to the country’s negative history with Tibet.

Asian-American Takei is far from impressed with Marvel Studios’ explanation, and he accuses movie bosses of lying in a bid to cover up a ‘whitewashing’ drama, as a growing list of stars take aim at the company for not casting an Asian actor as The Ancient One.

“Marvel must think we’re all idiots,” Takei wrote in a Facebook post. “Let me get this straight, you cast a white actress so you wouldn’t hurt sales… in Asia? This back-pedaling is nearly as cringeworthy as the casting.

“It wouldn’t have mattered to the Chinese government by that point whether the character was white or Asian, as it was already in another country. So this is a red herring, and it’s insulting that they expect us to buy their explanation. They cast Tilda because they believe white audiences want to see white faces. Audiences, too, should be aware of how dumb and out of touch the studios think we are.”

Takei’s comments come days after Marvel bosses defended their decision to cast Swinton, stating: “The Ancient One is a title that is not exclusively held by any one character, but rather a moniker passed down through time, and in this particular film the embodiment is Celtic. We are very proud to have the enormously talented Tilda Swinton portray this unique and complex character alongside our richly diverse cast.”

Further explaining the decision to cast Tilda as The Ancient One, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige tells EW.com, “I think if you look at some of the early incarnations of the Ancient One in the comics, they are what we would consider today to be quite, sort of, stereotypical. They don’t hold up to what would work today. Also, within the storyline of the comics, and our movie, The Ancient One is a title that many people have had.

“We hit very early on on, ‘What if The Ancient One was a woman? What if the title had been passed and the current Ancient One is a woman? Oh, that’s an interesting idea. Tilda Swinton! Whoah!’ And it just hit.”

Former “Star Trek” actor George Takei had high praise for the organization that honored him with a top award for his gay rights activism on Saturday, saying officials have given young LGBT role models …

Photo: Charles Sykes / Associated Press

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George Takei, right, and his husband Brad Altman attend the GLAAD Media Awards on Saturday, May 3, 2014 in New York.

George Takei, right, and his husband Brad Altman attend the GLAAD Media Awards on Saturday, May 3, 2014 in New York.

Photo: Charles Sykes / Associated Press

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Boy George attends the 25th Annual GLAAD Media Awards on May 3, 2014 in New York City.

Boy George attends the 25th Annual GLAAD Media Awards on May 3, 2014 in New York City.

Photo: Stephen Lovekin / Getty Images for GLAAD

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Swoosie Kurtz attends the 25th Annual GLAAD Media Awards on May 3, 2014 in New York City.

Swoosie Kurtz attends the 25th Annual GLAAD Media Awards on May 3, 2014 in New York City.

Photo: D Dipasupil / Getty Images for GLAAD

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Marcel Neergaard and Chely Wright attend the 25th Annual GLAAD Media Awards on May 3, 2014 in New York City.

Marcel Neergaard and Chely Wright attend the 25th Annual GLAAD Media Awards on May 3, 2014 in New York City.

Photo: D Dipasupil / Getty Images for GLAAD

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Kylie Minogue and Wilson Cruz attend the 25th Annual GLAAD Media Awards on May 3, 2014 in New York City.

Kylie Minogue and Wilson Cruz attend the 25th Annual GLAAD Media Awards on May 3, 2014 in New York City.

Singer Kylie Minogue attends the 25th Annual GLAAD Media Awards on May 3, 2014 in New York City.

Singer Kylie Minogue attends the 25th Annual GLAAD Media Awards on May 3, 2014 in New York City.

Photo: Stephen Lovekin / Getty Images for GLAAD

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Actress Naomi Watts attends the 25th Annual GLAAD Media Awards on May 3, 2014 in New York City.

Actress Naomi Watts attends the 25th Annual GLAAD Media Awards on May 3, 2014 in New York City.

Photo: Stephen Lovekin / Getty Images for GLAAD

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Omar Sharif, Jr. attends the 25th Annual GLAAD Media Awards on May 3, 2014 in New York City.

Omar Sharif, Jr. attends the 25th Annual GLAAD Media Awards on May 3, 2014 in New York City.

Photo: Paul Zimmerman / WireImage

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Emma Myles and Taryn Manning attend the 25th Annual GLAAD Media Awards on May 3, 2014 in New York City.

Emma Myles and Taryn Manning attend the 25th Annual GLAAD Media Awards on May 3, 2014 in New York City.

Photo: Stephen Lovekin / Getty Images for GLAAD

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Derrick Gordon attends the 25th Annual GLAAD Media Awards In New York on May 3, 2014 in New York City.

Derrick Gordon attends the 25th Annual GLAAD Media Awards In New York on May 3, 2014 in New York City.

Photo: D Dipasupil / Getty Images for GLAAD

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Candis Cayne attends the 25th Annual GLAAD Media Awards on May 3, 2014 in New York City.

Candis Cayne attends the 25th Annual GLAAD Media Awards on May 3, 2014 in New York City.

Photo: Paul Zimmerman / WireImage

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Perez Hilton attends 25th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at The Waldorf=Astoria on May 3, 2014 in New York City.

Perez Hilton attends 25th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at The Waldorf=Astoria on May 3, 2014 in New York City.

Photo: Andrew Toth / FilmMagic

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Actress Emmy Rossum attends 25th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at The Waldorf=Astoria on May 3, 2014 in New York City.

Actress Emmy Rossum attends 25th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at The Waldorf=Astoria on May 3, 2014 in New York City.

Photo: Andrew Toth / FilmMagic

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George Takei has high praise for GLAAD as he accepts top prize

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Former “Star Trek” actor George Takei had high praise for the organization that honored him with a top award for his gay rights activism on Saturday, saying officials have given young LGBT role models and hope.

Takei received the Vito Russo Award at the 25th annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York and used his acceptance speech to shine the light on the work of the group.

The openly gay star said, “In the 25 years since its founding, GLAAD has dramatically changed American society for gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people. I know, because as a closeted kid growing up in Los Angeles… all I saw of gays and lesbians in movies and television, or heard on radio, were caricatures of people who were mocked and laughed at, or pitied, or hated.

“The media stripped us of all humanity and made us into pathetic stereotypes. The media then was a soul-crushing monster. GLAAD took on this formidable beast with its media savvy, political acumen and the power of its advocacy and transformed the media into a powerful force for change.”

But he insisted the fight is not over yet – and GLAAD bosses still have a lot of work to do: “As long as LGBT people can be fired from their job for simply being who they are, our work isn’t done yet. As long as young people are kicked out of their families just for being who they are, our work is not done yet. As long as people are being bullied into feeling that their lives are so hopeless that they are driven to self-destructive acts, our work is not done.”

Naomi Watts, Kylie Minogue, Emmy Rossum, Boy George, Laura Prepon, Laverne Cox, Swoosie Kurtz and country star Kacey Musgraves were among the special guests who joined Takei at the Waldorf Astoria New York for the gala.

Boy George introduced Minogue, who performed “Can’t Get You Out of My Head,” while Grammy Award winner Kacey Musgraves played her LGBT-empowerment anthem Follow Your Arrow, and became the first country act to perform at the GLAAD Media Awards.

Winners included Orange Is the New Black (Outstanding Comedy Series) and Philomena (Outstanding Film), while transgender actress Candis Cayne took the stage to accept the Outstanding Individual Episode award on behalf of the TV drama Elementary. Cayne portrayed Sherlock Holmes’ housekeeper Ms. Hudson in the episode, titled Snow Angels.

A writer has apologized to “Star Trek” icon George Takei after suggesting he was paid to come up with jokes for the actor’s popular Facebook.com page. Takei boasts a huge following on the social …

George Takei wins apology over joke claim

(Photo by Suhaimi Abdullah/Getty Images)

A writer has apologized to “Star Trek” icon George Takei after suggesting he was paid to come up with jokes for the actor’s popular Facebook.com page.

Takei boasts a huge following on the social networking site.

However, the page, which has 4.1 million “likes,” came under scrutiny when comedy writer Rick Polito claimed he was paid $10 to ghostwrite jokes for the actor.

Polito has now clarified his comments, and reached out to the TV veteran to say sorry, explaining to Jim Romenesko, “I don’t update his page. I’ve had no direct contact with George. I’ve sent him some memes, as have other comedian types, and I was happy for the exposure.”

Takei adds in a statement to Wired.com: “What is this hoo-ha about my FB posts? I have Brad (Altman), my husband, to help me and interns to assist. What is important is the reliability of my posts being there to greet my fans with a smile or a giggle every morning. That’s how we keep on growing.”